How to Pick a Saw For Your Project

How to Pick a Saw For Your Project

 

When you have a DIY project around your house, chances are you’ll need a saw to get the job done. While there are a lot of different options available to you, there are a few factors you should consider when deciding. We’ll go through each of the things you must consider.

 

Versatility

Your project will determine how versatile of a saw you need. For some DIY tasks, you can construct the entire project in your garage, where you don’t need a versatile saw. Immobile saws work well for projects where you can make your cuts in one spot, and then assemble elsewhere.

 

However, there are a variety of projects that will require you to make your cuts on the jobsite. For these types of cuts, you’ll need a mobile saw. Once again, this is where a jigsaw works really well.

 

You might want to opt for a cord free version as well. Cords are annoying, frustrating, and add another point of complexity. Cordless jigsaws, for example, give you the flexibility of a power hand saw without any annoying cords.

 

You can find portable versions of larger, immobile saws. Portable table saws are a great example – they provide all of the power of a larger saw but with the portability required at times. Unfortunately, these types of saws can often cost a lot of money.

 

Power

Depending on what you have to cut, you need to take into consideration how much power you’ll need. Some saws are non-powered tools that you cut with just the power of your arms, such as the hacksaw. For many projects, this is plenty of power.

 

Basic power saws, such as the jigsaw and circular saw, give you a blade that is powered. These saws are hand held and give you a lot of versatility in terms of what you can cut.

 

Powerful saws like the table saw give you a lot of cutting capabilities. You can rip long pieces of wood and cross cut a variety of materials. For most projects, you won’t need this amount of power, but it can be a huge advantage to have it.

 

Special Functions

 

While many saws have loads of power and tons of versatility, they might not work well for the specific type of cut you need to make. Some projects around your house require very basic cuts that a variety of saws can perform. Other tasks, though, require very specific and highly custom cuts.

 

For example, if you are installing baseboard around your home, the perfect saw for you is the miter saw. It can perform 45 degree angle cuts with ease, allowing you to quickly work through your project.

 

However, the miter saw is not a very versatile saw, meaning that you won’t be able to use it for many other types of cuts.

 

Matching the correct saw with the type of task you are looking to perform will ensure that you do the job right the first time, without having to redo the task.

 

Proper Blades

 

Sometimes, the most important consideration for your cut is not the saw, but the blade that the saw will be using.

 

Different materials require different types of blades to cut with. Some saws are versatile, allowing you to interchange blades depending on the type of cut you want to make.

Jigsaws are a great example of this. You can quickly interchange blades for the different types of material you are cutting. There is a specific blade for almost every type of material you are looking to cut.

 

Trying to cut a material with the wrong blade, on the other hand, will lead to a bad cut and potentially a broken saw. Not only does having the right blade ensure a good cut, but it also protects your saw.

 

Conclusion

 

Different projects require different cuts, which require different saws. By taking this four factors into consideration, you can ensure that you are able to make the proper cuts. This will help ensure your DIY home project turns out exactly how you envision it.

 

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